There were pitfalls, and struggles. Late bills. Four sons to feed. Mounting pressure. And tears, for sure, for Arletta Allen.

And now? Tears of a much different kind. Check this out:

“This was an amazing opportunity and to be recognized in such a beautiful way brings me to tears! I absolutely love Moraine Park and this experience. For all who support me in the climb, along with my goals and dreams, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. Thank you!”

Wow!

Those poignant, inspiring words from Arletta stem from an awesome honor – the Fond du Lac Morning Rotary Club just recognized her as one of its Morning Rotary Students of the Month. Arletta is a Moraine Park student studying Leadership Development and her instructor, Mary Vogl-Rauscher, nominated her for this recognition.

Oh, and about that “climb,” as Arletta calls it? That’s pretty inspiring, too.

Here’s Arletta’s story, which highlights the pivotal role the Student Emergency Fund at Moraine Park played in her education, in her own words:

My name is Arletta Allen, and I am originally from Yazoo City, Mississippi.

I became pregnant when I was 16 and dropped out of school in my senior year and had to come to Moraine Park Technical College to receive my High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED).

I completed this in May 1999.

Since then, I went on a life journey through major pitfalls until I discovered that I desired more out of life.

I currently have four children – all boys. We are a low-income family and I currently survive because of food share and health benefits programs offered by the state. I needed assistance to pay utilities in which my bill was outstanding and we were facing disconnection.

Moraine Park’s Student Emergency Fund allowed for me and my children to get caught up on those bills so that I could better focus on my education and not stress so much about the different necessities that were not being met outside of school. I am eternally grateful for the support that was given me and my children when we were at an all-time low.

Everyday remains a struggle, but Moraine Park and its staff have remained a wrap-around program to help me meet and exceed my educational goals.

I often say this, “When I come to campus it feels like home, never isolated, unaccepted or alone. The staff are just as invested in my success and my future as I am! It is an honor to endure this journey, and my gratitude is beyond words. I can speak for all those who may go unnamed that touched the lives of my children and invested in our total success overall, thank you so much!”

DreamKeepers

The DreamKeepers / Student Emergency Fund aims to provide financial support to students who encounter an unforeseen financial emergency which would otherwise prevent them from continuing their education at Moraine Park.

The goal of these funds is to help students during a time of financial need to remain in school and progress toward their desired certificate, diploma, or degree. This funding is not intended to replace or supplement existing financial aid and does not have to be repaid.

Students may only apply for funds when they have exhausted all other resources such as community programs and resources, family financial support, or financial aid available to them through state and federal aid programs. For more information, click here.

I believe I can help …

After all these ups and downs, Arletta will be graduating from the program in May 2017 and will continue on to pursue a bachelors degree in Leadership Development. She plans on
becoming a public and motivational speaker.

“I have quite the life journey that I believe can help young mothers and women in general clear some obstacles of their own.”